Few books of significance are as brief as this one. Totaling a little over 100 one- or two-sentence pages, Andrews attempts, in true story/parable form, to illustrate how easily one’s actions and decisions can have an impact for years to come, not just on those in your immediate sphere of influence, but on people all across the globe.

The true story of union soldier Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a thirty-four year old school teacher, is alone worth the price of the book. I’d be willing to wager it is a part of our nation’s history about which you’ve never heard.

While reading through The Butterfly Effect the first time, I couldn’t help but think how powerful a book it could be for the parent of a young child. I could see myself reading it out loud to my nieces and nephews. The potential impact it could have on young, developing minds cannot be overstated, in my opinion.

The underlying message is simple. Everything you do matters to all of us forever. This is best illustrated in the second story Andrews shares. I won’t give anything away, but I liken it the AT&T commercial where you see an elderly couple clapping and all smiles as their son is being introduced as the president of the United States. You’re then taken back in time as the spot reveals that first chance meeting between the president’s parents.

If not confined by the 30- and 60-second nature of television advertising, it would be easy to carry that story even further back in time to reveal each person who, with one decision or action, impacted the future outcome.

In the words of Andrews, “There are generations yet unborn whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.”

“Your life…and what you do with it today…matters forever,” Andrews says. And I’m inclined to agree.

What are some things you can do to ensure the impact you make is a positive one?

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

In the meantime, I thought I’d pass along to you a bit of a sneak peak into what’s in store from Don’s new book. Feel free to share these materials with your network and, if you’re in the Nashville area, stay tuned to 88.7 WAY-FM for more on where and when you’ll find Don Miller speaking.

Let’s Get Viral

First, Thomas Nelson has taken the liberty of uploading the first 20 pages or so of the book to Scribd. Scribd is a website that brings the concept of “social” to publishing and describes itself as “the website where more than 60 million people each month discover and share original writings and documents.”

I’ve embedded the Scribd preview below, but you can also visit the site itself (just click the link at the bottom of the Scribd frame or the one in this sentence). You can also share this with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and more than 30 other social networking sites.

Next comes a three-part YouTube video interview Donald did with Michael Hyatt, CEO at Thomas Nelson. Don, not to mention Michael, comes across as just a regular, very down-to-earth guy. If you have dreams of being a writer some day, let Don inspire you to not let go of that dream.

Additionally, there’s this really cool video widget you may have seen me share a few weeks back if you’re a friend of mine on Facebook. In addition to Facebook, it can be added to your blog’s sidebar, shared via Twitter and as many as a few dozen other places you might frequent online.

The widget also allows you to download and preview an audio chapter from the book. If you prefer, you can even listen right now by linking to my Chirbit profile.

Officially, tickets for Don’s Nashville appearance are set to go on sale from the 88.7 WAY-FM website beginning September 20th. However, I’m toying with the idea of sneaking the ticket link out a little early either through our Facebook Page, our Twitter account, this blog or all three simultaneously. Stay Tuned!

What are your thoughts on sneaking the ticket link out early via our social networking sites versus a more public “heads-up” on the air?